E. E. DeWitt
THE FATHERHOOD OF GOD
&
THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN
Much is made today of the pseudo doctrine of �The Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man.� The idea of this doctrine rests well upon the ears of modern man. However, when examined in the light of Scripture this common preconception of Christian dogma will be found lacking.
This paper will divide the subject matter into three sections: 1)God is the Father of Saints; 2)God is not the Father of Sinners; and, 3) How to Succeed to the Sonship of God.
God is the Father of the saved individual. In Luke 11:2 Jesus begins to teach what is commonly called, �The Lord�s Prayer.� This might be more accurately called, �The Disciples Prayer� as it was intended to serve as an example for them.
This portion of Scripture reads: �And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.�
In this verse Jesus uses the phrase, �Our Father...� Many will look at this verse, allowing it to stand alone, and make the connection that the idea of the Universal Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man is a Scriptural principle. However, it might be good to consider the context in which this verse is set.
In verse one of this chapter we note that, �And it came to pass, that, as he [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught also his disciples.� This was a disciple of Jesus who asked that he be taught how to pray. Jesus told a saved man to pray �Our Father,� not an unsaved man.
Compare this situation with Romans 8:15: �For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear: but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father.� Those who have trusted Christ as Savior have been adopted into God�s family. Conversely, those who have not accepted Christ remain outside of God�s family. This is simple logic: If the saved are adopted into God�s family, from where are they adopted? They come from the pool of greater, unsaved humanity. This pool, therefore, must stand outside the family of God - He would not be their Heavenly Father.
Now, to the Christian, we would note that part of this adoption involves the non-receipt of the spirit of bondage.
With this comes the privilege of not being bound by the tethers of sin. We are not to live as though this binding were still a reality. We are not to let our testimony slip before others. We should be a help to them. We should tell others of the freedom which Christ offers. We should tell others of the love which Christ has bestowed upon the world in His sacrifice on Calvary.
Part of this testimony is not the negative idea that, �I don�t do something because I can�t,� but that we can give forth the Message of His love toward a world that needs that Message.
Salvation is not simply a matter of what we do. As a matter of fact, what we might, or might not do is irrelevant. Salvation is dependant upon Who we know. If we have trusted Jesus, and allowed Him to come into our lives, then we have salvation not because of what we have done but because of what He has done on the Cross of Calvary.
In Galatians 4:4-5, Paul says: �But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.�
Notice that phrase, �...the fulness of time...� At the time that Jesus was born into humanity at Bethlehem, the entire western world was under the domination of the Roman Empire. Nearly the entire population was conversant in a single language. The roads and waterways were linked together and �policed� by the Roman legions. Never before, and never since, then was world so perfectly set for the proclamation of the Gospel Message into the furthest reaches of the world.
Another point to notice in this verse is the phrase, �...made of a woman...� Since Jesus is unique in history, virgin born, there is no mention made of man in the equation.
It is interesting to note that the same people who will not accept the Scriptural teaching of the Virgin Birth are often the same ones who will hold to the unscriptural doctrine of the Universal Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man. It is a function of human pride. It seems that if something seems reasonable to the human mind, something to which the Scripture might disagree, then human reasoning must trump the �outmoded and unscientific� writings of the ancients.
So much for the doctrine of the inspiration of Scripture!
Since the cultural teachings concern the unity of all people, and since an appeal to religion is still a popular cry to the populace, then this doctrine of the Universal Brotherhood of man must, of course be coupled with the �religious� ideal of the Fatherhood of God.
Sounds logical.
But, does it stand the test of the investigation of Scripture? Sadly, many would trumpet Scripture as an authority when it agrees with their preconceived notions but are not willing to accept it when it disagrees with their human reasoning.
Mankind needs to accept the whole Bible - even when it does disagree with his own misconceptions! Either we accept the Bible as complete Truth or we should forget about using it to teach us how to live today! If the Scripture is not entirely true then it is not dependable as a rule of faith and life in this day - or as a guide to the eternity of tomorrow!
In verse five we see that Christ redeemed us while we were under the law. While we were still in our sins, as a race of humanity, Jesus died to give us access to this adoption as sons and daughters of God. This makes the obvious point that prior to this grace being appropriated into our lives, we were not privileged to call God, �Our Father.�
God is not the Father of sinners. He is, of course the Creator of all mankind; but, it does not necessarily followew that He is the Father of all men in the Spiritual sense.
Take a look at I John 2:23. �Whoseover denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.� As plain as day this verse equates that those who have denied the Son, Christ, do not have the right to call God, �Father.�
I know, that probably sounds harsh. But, that does not negate the Truth of the statement. Suppose that your hands were cold and a winter day. It would be possible to talk for hours about those nice fleece lined gloves in your pocket and still be cold. Putting on the glove would equate with warmth. Putting on (accepting) Christ equates with adoption into God�s family.
That�s not harsh. That�s simple reality. You can not have God as your Father without having Jesus as your Savior.
John has more to say about the subject of spiritual Fatherhood in the eighth chapter, verses 41-45, of his gospel account. �Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
�Jesus said unto them, �If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and come from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
�Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.
�Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murder from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
�And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.��
The most amazing thing about the above situation, to me at least, is the group of men with which Jesus was talking. These were Pharisees. They were the best, humanly speaking, group of men one could find in this day.
They made claims about themselves with which most of the people of the day would have been in whole hearted agreement. They asserted that they were not children of spiritual fornication; they were the authentic children of God.
Given the sorry state of our societal norms of today, it is amazing that today�s religious leaders will make the same claim, not just for themselves, but for all of society.
And, yet, what of this society? Jesus made the observation that if God truly were the Father of a person, that the person would love the things that God loves. Church attendance would be not a norm but a joy. Bible study would be not a job but a passion. Prayer would be not an observance but a conversation with our Heavenly Parent. Witnessing would be not a religious duty but an excitement of working with God.
In verse 43 Jesus asks why these religious leaders did not understand His speech. His answer? They were of their father and their father was not God.
These very good and religious persons were told that their father was not God; their father was the devil.
Jesus went even further. He didn�t say that, �Well, guys, your religion might not be the same as the one I�m teaching, but I�ve got to admit you are sincere. That certainly counts for something.�
No. That�s not what Jesus said. He said, �You are just like your father, the devil. He was a murderer and so are you.�
I would assume that they took offense at this. After all, most of them - probably all! - could not look back to a time when they had taken anyone�s life. They must have chaffed at this accusation.
But, look back in the Scripture to Isaiah 53:6. Under inspiration the prophet had said, �But, he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.�
The time would soon come, God already considered it, as He looked from the vantage point of eternity, as an accomplished fact, that their sin, our sin, my sin, would be responsible for the death of Jesus on the cross of calvary. Jesus died because of the sinfulness of each and every person who has lived upon this earth. That included those who stood before Him on that day.
Even more to the point was that these were false religious leaders in that they led people away from the teaching and Person of Jesus Christ. This was lending a hand to the killing of the souls of people who would then reject taking Jesus as their own personal savior.
May I never, may Christians today never, be in that position by our life or words or actions!
Jesus also said that they were liars. To teach an untruth is to teach a lie. This the men here had done. But, so also is the theologian who would teach that all men are the children of God simply because of their biological birth.
Jesus also said that these men did the works of Satan. One of those works is failing to accept the clear teaching that Jesus Christ stands ready to give the gift of salvation to any who would accept it. Teaching another way, accepting another way, believing another way - this is contrary to God�s Word. Going contrary to the revealed Word of God is, by very definition, doing the work of Satan.
Notice the words of Malachi 1:5-7, where God says, �A son honoureth his father and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? And if I be a master, where is my fear? Saith the LORD of hosts unto you. O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine alter: and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, the table of the LORD is contemptible.�
About this passage, C. I. Scofield, in his Scofield Reference Bible, said, �The relationship here is national, not personal, apparently, the Jews were calling Jehovah �Father,� but yielded Him no final obedience.�
But, here it was personal. Not all of the people, not even all of the leadership (ref. Nicodemus) were part of the offending group.
But, those who were of the group which called God, �Father,� while refusing to give Him, or His Son, due honor, were the majority of the leadership. In this capacity they were leading those who followed them astray.
This same thing happens today with leaders who call for recognizing the Fatherhood of God without accepting the responsibility of their own sin. This same thing happens today among those leaders who raise a voice for the Brotherhood of Man while shirking the duty to tell all that there is a Hell to shun and a Heaven to gain!
If God were our Father we would honor Him and His pronouncements and warnings.
This same sort of thing still happens today. Part of the charge against the people of Malachi�s day was that they called the table of the Lord contemptible. The same principle of disgust is raised from those who refuse to accept the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross as their only means of salvation. They disparage, in effect saying that it is not good enough for them and their needs, the very thing which God has honored.
Ephesians 2:2-3: �Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.�
Notice the time frame here. Paul said that there was a time that the Christian walked the same paths of those he describes as �children of wrath.� Two things are seen here. First of all, the Christian could not always claim that he was a child of God if there had been a time when he was a child of wrath. Something had to have happened to adopt this person from the family of wrath.
Also, it is important to see that God does not claim all as His children. Some He has called, �the children of wrath.�
How to venture to the sonship of God.
I believe that the point has been made that not all are able to be considered, from a Scriptural viewpoint, as children of God. Simply, God is not their father. Because to be outside this point is to be in eternal peril, it is important that the method of becoming adopted into the family of God is an important question.
John 1:12 gives the guideline. �But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name...�
The need is that we must accept Jesus Christ as Savior and become born again.
This realization puts the ball back in our own court. Do we remain in the family of Satan, sharing in his eternal inheritance of perdition? Or, will we respond to the simple message that Jesus Christ loves you? He went to the cross of calvary so that we might obtain a part in His inheritance of glory. Will you accept Him as your Savior?